crane

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noun \ ˈkrān \

Definition of crane

1 :any of a family (Gruidae of the order Gruiformes) of tall wading birds superficially resembling the herons but structurally more nearly related to the rails

2 :any of several herons

3 :an often horizontal projection swinging about a vertical axis: such as

a :a machine for raising, shifting, and lowering heavy weights by means of a projecting swinging arm or with the hoisting apparatus supported on an overhead track

b :an iron arm in a fireplace for supporting kettles

c :a boom for holding a motion-picture or television camera

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See crane defined for kids

Recent Examples of crane from the Web

The Chinese firm Qingdao Haixi Heavy-Duty Machinery Co. sold the two 28-story container cranes now at the port.

— philip issa, The Seattle Times, "Lebanon prepares for Syria’s post-war construction windfall," 16 Aug. 2017
Since then, tens of thousands of residents have moved in and new towers and construction cranes dominate the skyline.

— neal broverman, Los Angeles Magazine, "4 Neighborhoods That Need a Streetcar More Than DTLA," 19 July 2017
After the closure, different methods were tried, including aid drops by crane.

— Washington Post, "Obstacles mount in fight to aid Syrians stranded near Jordan," 18 July 2017
After the closure, different methods were tried, including aid drops by crane.

— Washington Post, "Obstacles mount in fight to aid Syrians stranded near Jordan," 18 July 2017
After the closure, different methods were tried, including aid drops by crane.

— karin laub, The Seattle Times, "Obstacles mount in fight to aid Syrians stranded near Jordan," 17 July 2017
Those who once made mud bricks by hand start working with cranes and mechanical diggers.

— The Economist, "If borders were openA world of free movement would be $78 trillion richer," 13 July 2017
Bosh, the crane-like near 7-footer, was always the biggest man in the shadows.

— greg cote, miamiherald, "Bosh’s Heat goodbye was gradual, overshadowed, but this gentleman-athlete earned our thanks," 5 July 2017
Stand outside Phebe’s, the bar beloved by New York University students on the corner of Fourth Street and the Bowery, and crane your neck toward the building opposite.

— jason farago, New York Times, "Across New York, a Summertime Tour of Public Art," 29 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'crane.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Illustration of crane

Origin and Etymology of crane

Middle English cran, from Old English; akin to Old High German krano crane, Greek geranos, Latin grus

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

See Words from the same year

Other Civil Engineering Terms

asphalt, ballast, barrage, cantilever, infrastructure, sluice

crane

verb

Definition of crane

craned; craning

transitive verb

1 :to raise or lift by or as if by a crane

2 :to stretch toward an object of attention

craning her neck to get a better view

intransitive verb

1 :to stretch one's neck toward an object of attention

I craned out of the window of my compartment
—Webb Waldron

2 :hesitate

See crane defined for English-language learners

Examples of crane in a Sentence

We craned our necks toward the stage.
craned her head to see the roof

Recent Examples of crane from the Web

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — While millions of people are craning their necks toward the sky to see Monday's solar eclipse, Tory Carissimo will be preparing himself a bird's-eye view — in fact, better than that.

— justin murphy, USA TODAY, "Solar eclipse: Weather balloons to capture excitement from 100,000 feet," 21 Aug. 2017
For two minutes and five seconds, the Earth seemingly stood still as boys, girls, men and women all craned their heads toward the heavens to see the rare event.

— michael katz, idahostatesman, "For crowds in Weiser, total solar eclipse was ‘very otherworldly’," 21 Aug. 2017
The two men crouched, craning their necks and staring between my trembling thighs.

— elliott hester, latimes.com, "This flight attendant had done nothing wrong, but customs agents still said, 'We need you to pull down your pants'," 13 Aug. 2017
The test model came in the usual Cadillac Crystal White Tricoat ($500), not a blazing color by any stretch, but many necks were craning at the Corvette sound rumbling from the Cadillac body.

— scott sturgis, Philly.com, "2017 Cadillac CTS-V at home on the track and at the Wawa," 4 Aug. 2017
With reporters and cameramen craning their necks for a better view, the president asked each agency head to introduce themselves to the room.

— elaina plott, GQ, "Ryan Zinke, Trump's Cowboy Enforcer, Is Ready for His Closeup," 31 July 2017
Doors open at 8 p.m., an hour before showtime; arrive early for a seat or risk craning your neck. 52.

— marielle wakim, Los Angeles Magazine, "Best of LA: 92 of Our Favorite Things to Eat, Do, and Buy Right Now," 14 July 2017
Trump was seated in the very center of the Hilton ballroom, his confection of blond hair aglow in the bright lights, his star wattage eclipsing the graying eminences of journalism and politics who craned their necks to get a look at him.

— joshua green, Bloomberg.com, "The Remaking of Donald Trump," 6 July 2017
The thin figure — its neck craned back, its eyes gazing skyward — evokes wonder.

— blair kamin, chicagotribune.com, "Public art appears — and disappears — in year celebrating its impact on city," 30 June 2017

First Known Use of crane

1570

crane Synonyms

Synonyms

boost, raise, elevate, heave, heft, heighten, hike, hoist, jack (up), lift, perk (up), pick up, take up, up, uphold, uplift, upraise

Antonyms

drop, lower

Related Words

ascend, mount, rise; rear, upend

Near Antonyms

descend, dip, fall, pitch, plunge, slip; bear, depress, press, push; sink, submerge

Crane

play

biographical name \ ˈkrān \

Definition of Crane

(Harold) Hart 1899–1932 American poet

Crane

biographical name

Definition of Crane

Stephen 1871–1900 American writer

Crane

biographical name

Definition of Crane

Walter 1845–1915 English artist

CRANE Defined for English Language Learners

crane

play

noun

Definition of crane for English Language Learners

: a big machine with a long arm that is used by builders for lifting and moving heavy things
: a type of tall bird that has a long neck and long legs and lives near water

crane

verb

Definition of crane for English Language Learners

: to stretch out (your neck) in order to see better

CRANE Defined for Kids

crane

play

noun \ ˈkrān \

Definition of crane for Students

1 :a large tall wading bird with a long neck, bill, and legs

2 :a machine with a swinging arm for lifting and carrying heavy weights

crane

verb

Definition of crane for Students

craned; craning

:to stretch the neck to see better

Neighbors craned out the window to see the parade.

Learn More about crane

See words that rhyme with crane Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for crane Spanish Central: Translation of crane Nglish: Translation of crane for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of crane for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about crane

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crane

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Synonyms

Antonyms

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Crane

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Crane

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Definition of crane for English Language Learners

crane

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CRANE Defined for Kids

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